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Alexander passed away on March 18 this year, after battling brain cancer for more than a year.

Even bed-bound and increasingly ill the young man inspired those around him.

Mrs Brown added: “Despite everything that was going on – he was still always the cheerful one.”

She explained that Alexander's “magnetic personality” attracted the attention of former Prime Minister David Cameron, as well as Mrs May.

In 2014 Alexander delivered a rousing speech at the Conservative Party conference in Birmingham, when he was still just a teenager.

He spoke about stop and search and the “stigma” facing black youngsters – experiences he felt the “injustice of” growing up as a bright and well-behaved schoolboy in Gipsy Hill with his younger brother Lamar.

Joanna Brown with young Alexander, Lamar and Christine

Mrs Brown said her son excelled at sports, growing into a talented footballer and attracting the attention of Fulham Football Club’s scouting system.

However, the path of a professional athlete was not the one for the reflective and charismatic young man, who devoured poetry, philosophy and music.

At 14, having faced a family break-up and the death of his beloved grandmother, the St Joseph’s pupil decided on a different direction.

“He became adamant he was going to university,” said Mrs Brown.

“Alexander had to many dreams and plans. Since he was a child he was always such a people person – people were drawn to him.

“He could inspire them. I think he wanted to form his own party, doing it his way. He would say ‘mum, none of the parties are helping real people’.